A heat sink placed in contact with an electronic device transfers heat through conduction from the semi-conductor device contained in the electronic package. U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,331-Hinshaw shows a commonly used pin fin heat sink.
Springs or clips such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,456 Clemens, or U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,123-Hermann have been used to secure heat sinks to electronic devices. The catalog Thermalloy Semiconductor Accessories, pp. 15-29, shows clips for attaching heat sinks to electronic devices.
A pin grid array (PGA) is a frequently used electronic device. It includes a rectangular housing containing a semiconductor device and pins extending downwardly from a lower surface of the housing. The pins fit into receptacles in the socket. As PGA's become larger and dissipate more heat, heat sinks become larger. Oftentimes, heat sinks are bonded or attached to the PGA in a manner in which the heat sink/PGA mass has the tendency to vibrate or slip out of sockets during shock and vibration tests.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a strap spring which securely attaches pin fin heat sinks to sockets.